Musical instrument pitch control accessory



Feb. 23, 1937. STOVER 2,072,043

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PITCH CONTROL ACCESSORY Filed Feb. 12, 1936 Patented Feb. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PITCH CONTROL ACCESSORY 20 Claims.

This invention is a pitch controller for wind instruments such as clarinets, saxophones, oboes, flutes and others having tubes with lateral tone holes, and more particularly is a pitch controller in the form of an applicable accessory and adapted for interior insertion into the tube of the instrument.

In this specification the word instrument applies to the musical wind instrument whose pitch is to be affected.

The invention relates in principle to the class of pitch controls disclosed in my Patent No. 1,802,791, of April 28, 1931, in which is shown a means having a chamber which is in communication with the tube chamber of the instrument.

An object of the present improvement is to provide an accessory of small size, and simple, efiicient and highly practical character, and which is adapted to be readily introduced into and removed from the tube of the relative instrument withoutany mutilation or alteration thereof, and to eliminate the objection and cost incident to the attachment of :the device tothe instrument, as in the manner shown in the said patent; the latter being highly satisfactory when built into the instrument during original manufacture. Briefly, an object is to provide a pitch controller which may be carried in accessory stock for sale to possessors of the relative instruments for introduction into the tubes without mechanical service or operation on the instrument structure.

An object is to providea compact pitch controller of, this class which may be manufactured at a low cost and have such a low sellingprice that it may be purchased by orchestra leaders and instrumentalists and conveniently kept in their kits for transportation and instant application to and removal from the relative instruments. 7 i i It is well known that in several cases the Wind instrument should be somewhat varied in its normal pitch to more closely, harmonize with that of some. accompanying instrument, particularly a piano. which for well known reasons may be a fraction of a tone below the standard A-440.

It is common practice to lower the pitch of wind instruments of the class here concerned, and as usually constructed, by retracting the mouthpiece outward to the available, desired degree. Such retraction affects the tone emitted from the hole adjacent to the mouthpiece the most, and each one beyond, down the tube, proportionately less, with little efiects on the more (Cl. B L-454) remote holes; with the consequence of an unequal scale quite out of tune.

With the present controller it is possible to lower the pitch of the tones issued by the holes remote from the mouthpiece without noticeably affecting those along the upper portion of the tube near the mouthpiece, thus resulting in a more equalized scale throughout the range. And this by the provision of an unattached, interior, differential, communicating or related air chamber device.

Further, an object is to provide means for varying the point or tone hole at which the change is to be effective, that is, to provide for variation of the number of tone holes, remote from the mouthpiece, to be affected by the adapted pitch changing controller.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, additional objects and advantages, and whose construction, combination and details of means, and the manher of operation, and the method of the inven tion, will be made manifest in the description of the herewith illustrative embodiments; it being understood that modifications, variations, and adaptations may be resorted to within the scope, principle and spirit of the invention as it is more directly claimed hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a saxophone indicating the relation and position of an inserted tone or pitch controller of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a controller of about full size for an alto saxophone.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of an adjustable-length controller.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a multichamber controller.

The simplest form of the device includes a stiffwalled tubular body 2, preferably of metal, the outer end (from the mouthpiece) being closed in any manner but preferably by a removable closure 3 having a cushioning capacity. The closure 3 is here shown as a simple rubber cap, though a projecting plug of rubber or cork, or the equivalent will suflice.

The upper or inner end of this body or chamber is open but is constricted to a desirable de- ,gree, in any manner, as by an axially perforated part 4, which may be similar, otherwise, to the cap 3 and thus conduce cost reduction by substantial duplication of the end elements.

It is found by actual practice that when the controller 2 is introduced into the instrument S with the chamber of the former in communication with the chamber of the latter there is a reduction of the pitch of the tones from the lower tone holes, and when the chamber of the controller 2 so coacts with the instrument as to be in tune with an accompanying piano no adjustment of the chamber of the controller is needed, since it is of the correct capacity.

However it is preferred that the chamber 2 be of such length that a fine adjustment may be made of its pitching capacity, thus making possible careful adaptation to instruments which.

may vary inherently in their tones for various reasons.

To this purpose the chamber 2 is provided with a slidable, close fitting, stop or plug 5 of any suitable embodiment, a rubber or cork element being appropriate, as it may be pushed either way in the chamber by a rod; the imperforate closure cap 3 being removable for insertion of such rod, if and when needed. The aforesaid patent shows a piston rod attached to the slidable piston or plug. By such adjustment the volume of the chamber 2 between the plug 5 and the ventclosure or cap 4 may be readily and very finely regulated to meet the pitching requirements of any instrument of a size relative to the given controlling device.

In cases where the controller or chamber 2 is to be placed in instruments having an acute, or other, bend, B, to its bell, as in the saxophone S, the inserted chamber 2 will drop to a position of three point support, Fig. l, where the closure 3 will rest on the bottom of the bend B; the upper end of the chamber 2 will rest on the tube wall at the point X, for example, and an intermediate point of the chamber 2 will lodge against the bend wall W. As a result of such a juxtaposition of the chamber 2 in the tube and bend B there will be little or no rattle of the inserted chamber 2, but to positively cushion the inserted chamber the end closure 3 and the constricting vent cap 4 are, as stated, designed to afford a cushioning function.

The chamber 2 may be provided with a cushion girdle 6, such as a sleeve of rubber, or cork, or other appropriate material, which will lie against the bend wall W.

A feature of the tuning chamber is a provision for the variation of the point of contact of the upper, vented end 4 as to the tone holes of the instrument to which it is applied. With such an objective, the chamber 2 in the form shown in Fig. 3, is made of snugly telescopic tube pieces 2 and 2 the latter incommunicative with the tube S and is closed by a cap 3 whilst the section 2 is vented to the tube and has an adjustable, pitchvarying plug 5, preferably; the whole being cushioned as aforesaid. In this form of the device, Fig. 3, only the upper section 2*, is in communication with the tube cavity of the musical instrument; section 2 being entirely closed.

Thus, the instrumentalist has only to shift the vented end of the extensible body 2 2 to vary the number of tone holes to be encompassed in the pitch change; ranging from the remote end of the instrument toward the mouthpiece.

' Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment as adapted for clarinets, these being devoid of angle bends, and includes an elongated, tubular body 1!] having a plurality of pitching chambers ifi lfl the former having a venting cap 4 and an. adjustable plug 5 and the section or chamber Ni having a lateral vent hole H and a relative stop plug E2; the distal end of the body i being closed by a cap 3 In some forms of the pitch device it is preferred that a retaining and cushioning spring H3, or a suitable equivalent, be attached to the body, as IE2, whereby to frictionally engage in the tube bore of the musical instrument, especially when this is devoid of an angular bend, as B, and serve to retain the pitch controller in the desired position.

' It is found in practice that for the desired change in the pitch of the average alto saxophone, a tube of the form shown in Fig. 2, and

[having a length of about five and one-half inches,

and a diameter of one-half inch, and equipped with the adjustable plug readily produces highly satisfactory results. For a tenor saxophone the length of the device is about seven inches.

The direct effect of the controller here disclosed is to lower the normal tone or pitch of the wind instrument in whole or in part.

When the tuning controller is to be used for tuning only, as to a low piano, the controller, Fig. 2, is placed in the instrument S with its inlet cap 4 at a point which will effect the lowering of the tones in the lower portion of the instrument tube which have not been sufficiently lowered by drawing the mouthpiece as above stated; thus equalizing the pitch of all of the holes.

The elongated, multichamber controller of Fig. 4, is adapted for use to lower the whole range of notes, say of a B-flat clarinet, a full half tone, as to the key of A. Thus one clarinet may be used in playing orchestra music where ordinarily two instruments, one in B-flat and one in A key, are required. 7

In this specification the word chamber where referring to the tone controlling device is intended to mean and include the hollow device, body or element by which a cavity is separated within and from the main cavity in the tubular instrument.

What is claimed is:

1. A tone pitching device, of the class described consisting of a body having a chamber and adapted for bodily arrangement within the tube of a given instrument and providing for communication therewith; whereby the chamber constitutes an air cushioning means for sound vibration and the pitch of the instrument is determined or changed.

2. A tone pitching device consisting of a hollow or chamber member adapted for stationary arrangement in the tube of a given instrument and provided with an opening effecting restricted communication with the tube space.

' 3. A tone pitching device consisting of a hollow or chamber section adapted for ready insertion in and removal from the tube of a given instrument and having an opening providing for restricted communication therewith.

4. A tone pitching device consisting of an elongated chamber member adapted for bodily insertion into an instrument tube and having an opening for restricted communication therewith.

5. A tone pitching device including an elongated chamber member for total insertion into, and having provision for communication with, the tube of an instrument, and having means for varying the locale of the point of communication, as to the length of the tube.

6. A tone pitching device including an elongated hollow body bodily positionable in the tube of an instrument and communicating with its chamber to the tube.

8. A hollow pitching device comprising a detached tubular body wholly insertable in the tube providing for restrictive communication therewith, and cushioning means for its retention in situ.

10. A pitching chamber tube insertable and having a restrictive opening into the tube of an instrument and having cushioning means engageable with contiguous parts of the tube wall.

11. A pitching device insertable into the tube of an instrument and having interspatial relation therewith and including telescopically fitted tube sections.

12. A pitching device, of the class described, including an elongate tube provided with a plurality of separate chambers each provided with an opening to communicate the cavity of a tube in which the device may be inserted.

13. A pitching device including a hollow body structure insertable wholly in the tube of an instrument and adapted, by an opening in the W structure, for restricted, interspatial relation therewith, and means in the said device for determining its pitching capacity.

14. A hollow body pitching device bodily positionable in the tube of an instrument and having an opening for interspatial relation therewith, and means adjustable in the device chamher to regulate its pitching capacity.

15. A tubular musical instrument having, in combination, a hollow pitching device including a chambered body wholly disposed in its tube to form a separate cavity and in restricted interspatial relation therewith for tonal affect on the instrument.

16. A tubular musical instrument having within its tube space an elongated chamber forming body in restricted, interspatial relation with the tube space.

1'7. A tubular musical instrument having with in its tube space an elongated chamber forming part interspatially relatedto the tube space, and means adjustable in said chamber to vary its tone effect On the instrument.

18. A tone pitching chamber body one end of which has a removable closure and the other end has a constricted opening, and an adjustable plug slidably fitting in the chamber and adapted to be shifted by pressure on either end by a device insertable into the ends of the chamber.

19. A. device as setforth in claim 5, and wherein said communication is provided for by means of a perforated cap on one end of the device.

20. In a pitch regulator of the class set forth, a tubular member bodily insertable into the tube or bore of a given instrument and provided with restrictive communication therewith and forming an air chamber having a modifying efiect on sound vibrations set up in the tube of the instrument.

MURRAY A. STOVER. 

